Can't Go Back
by TeaLovingShrineMaiden
Summary: Harry simply had to convince his godfather. Persuade Sirius to let Harry go on the run with him. Tell him that he didn't think he could survive until the start of forth year if he had to stay with his insalubrious relatives.


" _Please,_ Sirius." Harry pleaded with his godfather.

His face was distraught, desperate.

"I can't go back there, Sirius; not for another summer. _Anywhere_ is better than that house, even going on the run with you."

Harry simply had to convince his godfather. Persuade Sirius to let Harry go on the run with him. Tell him that he didn't think he could survive until the start of forth year if he had to stay with his insalubrious relatives. Not with Vernon's fists, Petunia's screeches, and Dudley leading his group of tormenters on 'Harry Hunts.' Not if he had to live through even more mental and physical abuse from his so called 'family,' especially on meals smaller than those of a House Elf's.

"You're the only real family I have left, Sirius. My mum's sister's family doesn't care for me, quite the opposite, in fact."

Despite Harry's proclamations, however, Sirius still seemed on the fence about the idea.

"Sirius, you're the only adult I know besides Remus who actually gives a damn about me, past how you could use me to your own ends. I can't even say the same about Dumbledore."

"Harry, think about this." Sirius entreated. To Harry's ears, however, he sounded uncertain. "This isn't some summer vacation to France. What I have to do to stay out of the Ministry's grasp is jump from safe house to safe house, never knowing where my next meal will come from, never certain whether I will sleep under a roof, or if the Ministry will bust down my door in the next minute. Always on edge and prepared to depart at a moment's notice in case the Ministry does somehow discover my location. That's no way for anyone to live if they don't have to, especially you. Besides, if the Ministry finds out your 'in league' with me, then they might decide to label you a criminal as well. There's no need to put yourself at risk like that Harry, and I would never ask you too. Especially not for someone like me."

"'Someone like you?'" Harry scoffed. "You're not a criminal Sirius, no matter how much magical Brittan might want me to think otherwise. You're one of the only people I trust. One of the only people I know who doesn't seem to have it out for me for one reason or another. One of the only people I know who doesn't care if I'm 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' or that I somehow managed to 'kill' Voldemort when I was a baby. I don't care if the Ministry labels me as some sort of criminal just because I choose to spend my summer with my godfather.

"You barely know me, Harry." Sirius pointed out.

"And yet it's still true," Harry shot back, smiling sardonically. "What exactly does that tell you?"

Sirius' face took on a harder edge. "Nothing good, that's for sure." Sirius stated, his voice low and a touch dangerous.

"There's no where I'd rather be, Padfoot, than on the run with you." Harry said softly.

In the end, Sirius agreed, albeit reluctantly, not because he thought Harry was any better off with him than he would be with Lily's awful sister and her family, but because Harry was James and Lily's son, and Sirius was his godfather. Most importantly though, it was because the way Harry was desperate to get away from his family, and the way he felt that he wasn't even safe at Hogwarts, reminded Sirius of himself when he attended Hogwarts. When he spent every summer holed up in his room trying to avoid his family at all costs because they couldn't accept Sirius for who he was, not some dark wizard from the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black destined at birth to be sorted into Slytherin like every family member before him, but a Gryffindor, and proud of it, who just wanted to be in the same house as his best mate James, and as far away from his family's influence as possible.

So Sirius said 'yes,' and thus began both his and Harry's most interesting summer yet.

* * *

A/N: I've marked this story as complete, however, if I get enough responses from people telling me they want more, then I might add another chapter or two. So, fair warning, there might be another chapter added, but only if people seem interested.

That aside, I'd love it if you could leave me a review telling me what you think of this little oneshot. Constructive criticism is completely welcome and always appreciated, so R&R please!


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